Monday Mailday – featuring Reid Brignac

I received two card packages in the mail today. The first was another one from Adam of the Thoughts and Sox blog. Adam added another card to my 2008 Goudey red back mini collection with #84 Carlos Lee, and he threw in Jason Bartlett from Topps Updates & Highlights. Bartlett, after being named the Rays MVP by the Tampa Bay baseball writers, is rumored to be on the trading block this winter. If the Rays trade him, they’ll free up the shortstop position for Reid Brignac, a prospect who has been a great power hitter in the minor leagues and was named the top defensive shortstop in the International League this year. And they’d still have Ben Zobrist as insurance, and #1 pick Tim Beckham a few years away in the minors. If the Rays can get a good right fielder in exchange for Bartlett, they should pull the trigger. Adam – I’ll be mailing out your Red Sox cards soon.

The second package was from a daily reader of the blog, David in Brooklyn, New York. I traded him some of my 2007 and 2008 Masterpieces doubles for 7 2008 Masterpieces that I needed, 4 Topps Chrome (leaving me with only 3 that I still need to complete the set), my 61st Don Mattingly Yankee Stadium Legacy card (#5168 – Yankees 5, Angels 2 on 9/3/89), Carlos Pena SP Authentic, and the aforementioned Reid Brignac’s rookie card from Topps Updates & Highlights.

Here’s a look at the Brignac card:

While I’m on the subject of Reid Brignac, one of the reasons why I’m a big Brignac fan is that he won me $50 this past spring. The Durham Bulls have a contest called the RBC Centura Blast for Cash. Fans can enter the contest either at Durham Bulls Athletic Park or on the Bulls web site. Anyway, one fan is chosen in the 6th inning of every game. If a Bulls player hits a home run in the 6th inning, that fan can win $50. If no Bulls hit a home run, the $50 is added to the pot for the next game, and the pot keeps increasing until a Bull hits a 6th inning home run. I’ve seen the amount of money in the pot go as high as $800. The pot was at $50 on the night that I was chosen in the Blast for Cash, and sure enough, Brignac came through with a home run! I had no idea that this had happened since it was a road game and it was only announced on the radio. The next day, I was very surprised when the Bulls called me with the news that I had won and to confirm my address. I got my $50 check a few days later. In case you’re wondering, that $50 went directly into my card budget…